Shrimper dies after falling overboard

HERNANDO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say a Tampa Bay area shrimper died after falling overboard in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports that 58-year-old Robert T. Parker was on board a 26-foot-long commercial fishing vessel early Friday morning about three miles west of Hernando Beach when he fell into the water. FWC says high winds and choppy waves likely contributed to Parker’s fall.

Authorities say the boat’s owner and operator, 37-year-old Norman Soucy, tried to rescue his Parker. He was brought to the Hernando Beach Boat Ramp, where paramedics picked him up and took him to a nearby hospital. Parker was later pronounced dead.